2017 Holiday Shopping Guide: Best Nintendo Switch Micro SD Cards

One of the hottest times you can get for this holiday season is the Nintendo Switch. If you are planning to pick up the system, either for yourself or as a gift for a loved one, it is essential that you also pick up a compatible Micro SD Card as well. So what are the best Nintendo Switch Micro SD Cards that you can find during Black Friday or anytime during the 2017 holiday shopping season? You can find out in our buying guide below:

Do you need a Micro SD Card for the Nintendo Switch?

The Nintendo Switch comes pre-installed with 32 GB of internal flash memory that is used for downloadable games, patch updates, DLC expansions as well as other contents. If you or a loved one is planning on downloading a lot of Switch digital titles, then a Micro SD Card is a must. Not to mention that a few games, such as NBA 2K18, now requires you to download big patches to get the full experience even if you purchase the physical game card version.

UHS-I vs. UHS-II vs. UHS-III

There are multiple Micro SD Card types based on speed. UHS-II and the recently announced UHS-III are both faster when compared to the UHS-I. With that said, the both of them are much more expensive as well.

Currently, the Nintendo Switch limits the transfer speeds for Micro SD Cards. As a result, getting a UHS-II or UHS-III card for the gaming system is a moot point for this holiday season. Instead, you should focus on the cheaper UHS-I cards.

Size recommendation

So what Micro SD Card size should you pick up? We recommend getting 128 GB cards as anything above it can be too pricey if you are looking for a cheap option to add more free space for the Nintendo Switch. While you can go with smaller size cards as opposed to the 128 GB, you do run the risk out running out of room as Nintendo Switch games, especially high budget ones, will take up more and more space throughout the system’s lifespan. Due to its balance of affordability and the amount of space it offers, the 128 GB is the best Micro SD Card size to go with for this holiday season.

Best available Switch compatible Micro SD Cards

Based on the factors we mentioned above, we recommend checking out the Sandisk Ultra 128 GB Micro SDXC UHS-I Card. The same brand also offers multiple size options if you decide that you want a bigger or smaller card. You can check out the products with the following links:

Officially licensed cards

In 2017, Nintendo teamed up with both Hori and Sandisk to release officially licensed Nintendo Switch Micro SD Cards. We currently recommend avoiding these as they are a bit overpriced compared to the other options. If you are still interested, you can check them out with the following links:

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